John Melson

Mary Smith inherited land in Accomack Co., VA that had been left to her brothers John and Joshua Smith by their father Joshua Smith in 1683 (See Whitelaw, Virginia's Eastern Shore, Vol. 2, page 1078). Mary was married to John Melson who ended up with the land and it stayed in the Melson line of the family that stayed in Virginia at least until the end of the 1700s.

This John Melson or, more probably his son John, shows up in Pocomoke Hundred in the Somerset Tax Lists for 1725 and 1727 (no 1726 extant). Pocomoke Hundred was just across the river from Accomack County in Virginia.

John Melson wrote his will on Dec 13 1736 and it was probated Aug 3 1737 in Accomack Co., VA One note is very interesting in his will where he writes, "Also my Will if I die at the house of my son Daniel Melson that he may have my Coate and Vest a pr of Shoes and Stockens a fine Shirt and hat" Daniel Melson was, by this time in 1736, well established in Somerset Co., MD in Wicomico Hundred. He would patent the land tract "Good Hope" in another seven years located in modern Wicomico County, MD and straddling the MD/DE line. From what John Melson writes here, we can ascertain that he was probably visiting at his son Daniel's plantation in December 1736 at the time he writes his will. We do not know, however, whether he died while on that visit. The following is a transcription of the entire will (AccW):

Will of John Melson In the name of God Amen the Thirtieth Day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Thirty Six I John Melson of Virginia in the County of Accomack being very Sick and Week in Body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be Given unto God therefore Calling unto mind the mortality of my Body and Knowing that it is appointed for all men to die to make and Ordain this my Last Will and Testament that is to say Principally I Give my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my Body I Recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian Like and Decent manner at the Discretion of my Executors nothing Doubting but at a General Resurrection I Shall receive the Same again by the mighty power of God as Touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life I Give and Devise and Dispose of the Same in the following manner and form
-Impremis I give and bequeth unto my beloved son John Melson a certain Tract of Land whereon he now Lives Called and Commonly Known by the name Hunting Creek Containing Fifty Acres to him and his heirs for Ever
-Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Lewis one shilling Sterling in full of her portion
-Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Elliot one Shilling Sterling in full of her portion
-Item I Give to my son Daniel Melson one old musquet that he hath now in possession to him and his heirs
-Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Adra Gunter one Shilling Sterling in full of her portion
-Item I give and bequeath unto my Loving son Joshua Melson one Shilling Sterling in full of his portion
-Item I Give and bequeath unto my Loving Daughter Tabitha Cary one Shilling Sterling in full of her portion
-Item I give and bequeath unto my Loving Son Smith one Small Gun in full of his portion
-Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Abigail the best Bed upstairs and furniture in full of her portion
-Item I Lend unto Mary my Dearly Beloved Wife all the Remainder of my estate untill the Day of Marriage or Death and then to be divided among my children that are not Named whom I also Constitute,make and Ordain my only and Sole Executrix of This my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly Disallow revoke and Disannull all and Every other former Testament Wills and Legacies and Executors by me in any ways before this time named willed and bequeathed Ratifying & Confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament in Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the Day and Year above written Signed Sealed published and Declared by the sdhis John Melson as his Last Will and Testament in John x (his mark) Melson

the presence of us the Subcribers Vis:Test Robt Caldwell Henry White Sarah x (her mark) White

It also is my will that the Day of my Wifes Marriage or Death that Tobias Bull Roger Abbott John Simpson and Thomas Riley any three or four of them Shall then divide the Estate and What ever They do Shall Stand Also my Will if I die at the house of my son Daniel Melson that he may have my Coate and Vest a pr of Shoes and Stockens a fine Shirt and hat

At a Court held and Continued for Accomack County the 3rd Day of August 1737. The then Last Will and Testament of John Melson Deceased was presented in open Court and proved by the Oaths of Henry White and Sarah White two of the Witnesses to the Same and Joshua Melson being Heir at Law having Consented to the Same it is ordered to be Recorded.

John married Mary Smith, daughter of Joshua Smith and Margaret Abraham, about 1700. (Mary Smith was born about 1675 in Accomack Co., VA and died on 28 Feb 1744 in Accomack Co., VA.)